Should there be popularity contests for operas? Is it legitimate to claim that one opera is “better” than another? Perhaps not, though opera house programming reflects the fact that the mobile vulgus has very firm views about what it will and will not part with its hard earned dollars, pounds or euros to see. In any case, today is Burns Day which seems as good a day as any to venture into the “base, common, and popular”. So herewith that most vulgar of instruments; an opinion poll: